Submarine vessel.



C. LAURENT].

SUBMARINE VESSEL.

APPLICATION FILED nor. 1. His.

1,192,537; Patented July 25,1916.

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CESAIRE LAUREN'II, OF TUBIN, ITALY, ASSIGNOR TO SDCIETA FIAT-SAN" GIORGIO, 0F

SPEZIA, ITALY.

SUBIVIARINE "VESSEL.

Application filed Gctober 7, 1915.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, Creams LAURENTI, engineer, of Turin, Ttaly, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Submarine Vessels,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

In order to counteract as quickly as possible, at the instant of submersion, the reserve buoyancy possessed by a submarine vessel, two distinct types of valves are used, especially in submarines in which the said reserve is very considerable. These types are: the Kingston valve for flooding the double shell below the water-line; and special valves for flooding the upper double shell or superstructure.

The present invention relates to a novel arrangement and method of operating the valves for flooding the superstructure and two types of these valves will be described in the present specification which will also bring into prominence the difference existing between them and the Kingston valves. This difference consists in the fact that, whereas the Kingston valves have to be kept closed when it is desired to insure the floating of the submarine and perfect horizontality of position, the valves herein described may be left open without the position of the vessel being affected thereby.

The two systems of valves herein described afford the important advantage of enabling the submarine to be submerged very quickly, even when the reserve buoyancy or thrust is very high.

It should be noted that the valves for flooding the superstructure have to keep the vessel staunch when navigating on the surface of the water, that is to say they have only to keep her staunch against the shock of the seas, and consequently they may be of very light construction and very large di mensions, quite contrary to what is required in the case of the Kingston valves intended for the lower double bottoms.

In consequence of the requirements of the conditions of operating the superstructure valves, the latter must be capable of being opened and closed, not only from outside the vessel, but also from the inside. Further, in order to insure uniform distribution of the weights and reserves when water enters Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 54,578.

the superstructure valves are distributed symmetricallyv and coupled in such a way that the same operating lever which acts on one of them, also, at the same time, performs the corresponding operation on the valve on the opposite side and situated between the same bulkheads. The valves are formed, in general, by flap, moving on hinges, which presses against a frame secured to the hull of the vessel, and makes a tight joint.

To enable the invention to be fully understood it will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically a portion of a submarine vessel fitted with valves and operating mechanism constructed according to one form of the present invention. Fig. 2, is asimilar view showing a further arrangement.

As shown 1 indicates the outer skin of the hull of the vessel, 2 the inner resistant portion of the hull, and 3 the bulkhead separating the lower double bottom or shell from the superstructure or upper double shell.

The four jointed rods 4: form a quadrangle of toggle levers, connected at two opposite angles to two arms 5, each of which e2;- tends in turn outwardly, until it connects with the lever 6 the opposite end of which controls the movable flap 8 by means of other hinged arms 7 The other two apices of the quadrangle are formed by two internally threaded sleeves 9 and 13 into which is inserted the operating shaft, provided. with a right and a left handed thread in different parts, so that, if a movement of rotation about its own axis be transmitted to the shaft, the latter causes the two sleeves to approach or diverge, and consequently the same effect is transmitted to the other two apices of the quadrangle.

The mechanism described would necessitate the two valves being in very exact register, that is to say that when one of them makes contact with the frame, the other ought to be in an exactly similar position, which would be very diflicult to bring about, owing to the slight imperfections in the hulls of vessels. In order'to obviate this necessity a hinged compensating triangle 11 has been provided. The two rods i at the base of the quadrangle of toggle levers, instead of being attached directly to the threaded sleeve 13, are attached to the two apices 1e and 15 of a triangle adapted to Patented July 25, 1916.

turn about 13. The effect of this triangle is that, when one of the valves is already bearing on its seat, the mechanism is still able to perform a supplementary movement in order to bring the second valve, too, to bear against its seat.

Fig. 2 shows the valve opening directly on the outer skin above the water line. In Fig. 1 on the contrary, the valve is shown opening on the bulkhead 3, which separates the lower double bottom from the upper double shell. In this latter case the flap 8 is arranged at the end of a passage 16 which connects the valve to the outer skin 10 so that the real opening of the valve is above the water line.

With the above described arrangements it will be obvious that when the valves are open and the vessel dives the internal space of the superstructure will be symmetrically flooded said valves allowing the water to run out as the vessel rises.

That I claim is:

1. A submarine or submersible vessel hav ing a water compartment, and valves adapted to open and close said compartment to the sea, means for simultaneously operating a plurality of said valves, said means comprising a compensating device adapted to permit limited independent seating of the valves.

2. A submarine or submersible vessel having a hollow superstructure, valves adapted to open and close said superstructure to the sea, said valves being arranged above the normal water line of the vessel, said valves being symmetrically distributed on each side of the vessel, and means for simultaneously operating symmetrically disposed valves, said means comprising a compensating device adapted to permit limited independent seating of the valves.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CESARE LAURENTI.

Witnesses:

COLVINA L. FnYLns, FELIX BAZETTA.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

